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The Cambridge
Biomedical Campus (CBC) Phase 2 site is situated to the South of the first
phase. The site is bounded by the Addenbrooke’s Rd
and railway to the west, Dame Mary Archer Way to the north, the Bell School
Site (residential site currently under construction) to the east
and the Green Belt to the south. The site (approximately 10ha) was taken
out of the Green Belt in the 2006 Cambridge Local Plan (site 9.09) for clinical
development and research uses but was safeguarded for post 2016.
The site did not
form part of the application approved in 2009 for Phase 1 of the CBC
development. The site now forms part of Policy 16 in the Draft Cambridge Local
Plan and para 3.46 states that ‘development here will be similar to that
approved for the remainder of the site, with approximately a third of the land
to be developed for NHS and private clinical development and two-thirds for
biomedical and biotechnology research and development activities’.
The new master-plan
is currently the subject of pre-application discussions and an Environmental
Impact Assessment including Landscape Visual Impact Assessment and Transport
Assessment. The application will come forward in outline form.
Parallel to the
outline application a full application is also likely to come forward for the
first building on the site, which will be the ‘gateway building’ to the west of
the site. Although a full application, this building will be worked up
alongside the parameter plans for the outline application to ensure
comprehensive development of the wider site.
This briefing is
intended for officers and the applicants to update members on progress to date
and to discuss the key issues ahead of a target submission for a new outline
application.
Minutes:
Officer
Presentation
The case officer
took members through the history of the CBC Phase 1 site, and the floorspace build out to date for clinical research and
treatment uses, and biotech and biomedical R&D.
The case officer
set the policy background for the proposal, and its context within the 2006
Cambridge Local Plan and 2014 Draft submission plan.
Developer
Presentation
Outline
submission
i.
Developer’s vision is one of a landscape led
approach
ii.
Application submission in November or
December this year
iii.
Landscaping will be brought into the
development with the building lines being the defensible edge. Multi-storey car
parks will ensure land is used efficiently for landscape.
iv.
Phase 2 will provide for connections to phase 1 to the north.
v.
Design development led to the ‘piano key’
solution using courtyards.
vi.
Linear park running parallel with Dame Mary
Archer Way
vii.
Northern courtyards provide active meeting
paces, urban in nature.
viii.
MSCP locations- variety of options looked at;
‘bookend approach’ considered best.
ix.
Cycle and pedestrian activity prioritised
within the core of the development.
x.
Heights are lower than Phase 1, proposals are 31m high stepping down to 27m towards the
Green Belt edge.
xi.
The Southern courtyards are more rural in
nature with planting and sustainable drainage. Southern buffer will also
include rain gardens, native shrubs etc.
First Detailed
application
i.
Abcam is
a Cambridge company which has seen recent growth
ii.
First building will set the benchmark
for the development of the rest of the second phase.
iii.
Site constraints with foul pumping
station to west of the site
iv.
High cycling potential for staff
v.
Building will be seen as a gateway to
the site, with no ‘back of house’ to the building and a front entrance to both
the north and south.
vi.
Landscape will have a woodland buffer
concept to the south and the orchard/colourful planting to the north.
vii.
Building will have series of ‘social’
spaces to include the café, atrium and landing spaces, and the roof top garden
at the top floor.
viii.
The elevations have emphasised the
vertical elements to add more proportion. Lab benches have been screened
through the façade. Fins will act as brise soleil and shadows/reflection will change as you move
around the building.
ix.
Parking will be applied for in a
temporary nature (at grade parking) although the plan will be for a MSCP
application to come forward enabling the MSCP to be built instead of the
temporary parking.
Member
Questions/Comments
i.
What
is the energy load for the building and how will this fit with overheating?
The architects will undertake modelling and
will provide for Brise soleil
patterns, which alters for different elevations. The buildings could produce
too much heat and we will look at what that rejected heat could be used for.
ii.
How has the land use ‘spilt’ been decided and could this change?
For phase 1 the floorspace, and its split is
set out in the planning permission. A variation to this consent would be
required to change this. For Phase 2, the policy requires approximately a third
to be clinical use, and two thirds to be biomedical and biotech R&D uses.
- The
expansion for the hospital is still important, although the timeframe is not
known. The amount of space earmarked is compatible with the hospitals growth plans.
- The
landowners work together in partnership, a land swap was undertaken to
accommodate Papworth’s relocation for e.g.
iii.
The
proposals look interesting. There is still concern for overflow parking in the
area. What are the arrangements?
- People
working on the site embrace the modal shift change and through the phase 1
development the site is far easier to be accessed by bus (the Busway) and by
cycle/foot.
- Only
LMB building occupied on the site at the moment so the issue is clearly an
existing problem.
- There
is a balance to be struck between providing parking on site and encouraging
sustainable modes of transport. There is pressure for the County Council to
provide for parking controls in the surrounding area.
iv.
Transport
Strategy is vital, how will cycle parking be provided for?
There are clear benefits from taking away the
car within the site and making it a pedestrian and cycle focused site. There
will be cycle parking within the plots for building occupiers as well as
visitor spaces close to the front door. Developers are currently investigating
the possibility of a transport hub in the MSCP with shower rooms and cycle
parking.
x.
What
are the figures for this expansion in terms of floorspace,
employees etc?
- Around
65,000sqm of commercial floorspace and 25,000sqm of
clinical floor space. This is less than half of the first phase.
- There
will be around 700 parking spaces for the commercial floorspace
and additional spaces for the hospital as part of their overall car parking
strategy (which always envisaged a MSCP on this site).
- Each
of the ‘piano key’ fingers represents around 9000sqm and Abcam
is around 10,000sqm.
- Around
4000 employees are expected although this is difficult to predict with this
type of use.
- There
are 12000 employees on the existing campus and 12000 more are expected with the
phase 1 extension.
xi.
What
impact would having a train station have?
- From
a technical perspective it would have some advantage, depending on how often trains
stop, and whether trains from the north would run through to the south. The
journey from the rail station is already covered by the Busway bus route.
- 45
buses an hour already visit the site.
xii.
Update
on transport assessment?
- Working
closely with the county council to run the data model which will show impacts
and then there will be a discussion over the appropriate mitigation.
- The
MSCP will be built to enable it to be dismantled in the future if private
vehicle behaviour changes over time.
- The
hospital has been encouraged by the modal shift to more sustainable transport
methods over time.
xiii.
MSCP
proposals- will they come together with the first application, why is there a
need for temporary parking?
- The
proposed strategy is for the MSCP proposals to come forward in detail after the
first building (Abcam), but that the MSCP is likely
to be built at the same time as the building enabling the temporary solution to
be superseded.
xiv.
The
overall concept is supported, good green space and
quality of buildings are good.
xv.
Pleased
with much of what is going on. Green space and biodiversity need to be
carefully planned Agreed that the biodiversity planting will need to closely
relate to the local ecosystems and not introducing foreign species. The
proposals hopefully improve and enhance biodiversity and Sustainable drainage
on the site.
xvi.
Cyclists
from the east need to be given thought. The route from Red Cross Lane is poor
and is an important link from the Park and Ride This route was not intended as
a strategic route into the site, funding, but also the moving of utilities are
the main constraints to widening this access.
Summary
The developer team was thanked for a comprehensive
presentation. And the chair summarised
the points discussed.
The application is expected to be brought before
Committee in 2016.